Everyone Needs Bread for Daily Life

Call for Strong Connection between Theology and LocalCongregational Ministry

Rev. Dr Thomas Nyiwehas summarized the key focus of the Lutheran World Foundation(LWF) consultation "Theology in the Life of Lutheran Churches –Transformative Perspectives and Practices" as "a strong conviction that there needs to be a strong connection between our task of theologizing and the preaching and mission of our local congregations." In his sermon during the 29 March Service of Holy Communion in Augsburg’s St. Anne's Church, the president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Cameroon testified: "I have seen Jesus in my life. He has redeemed me.

He has transformed my life."Consequently, he added, the consultation "needs to look at the risen Jesus who does have the power to transform our lives and world." "Every one of us needs bread – or its equivalent, such as rice– to sustain his or her daily life," Nyiwe stated in reference to the theme, "Give Us Today Our Daily Bread," of the LWF Eleventh Assembly to be held 20-27 July 2010 in Stuttgart,Germany. "Many people of Africa," Nyiwe said, "are enduring horrific human tragedies such as civil war, famine, genocide HIV and AIDS,poverty, corruption, ethnicity, etc." He expressed his deep conviction that the answer to these difficult situations will come from the power of Christian prayer. "God in Christ is faithful and therefore ready to give us our daily bread every day of our life," he affirmed.

"Ten years ago, the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification was signed here in St. Anne's Church," recalled Rev. Susanne Kasch, dean of the Augsburg Evangelical Lutheran Church District, at the start of a service remarkable for its wealth of music. Discussing the future of the Lutheran communion was most important, and it was also a significant occasion to meet with Lutherans from all over the world for worship on this Sunday, she added.

Over 120 theologians from more than 30 countries are taking Pattin the consultation "Theology in the Life of Lutheran Churches:Transformative Perspectives and Practices Today" in Augsburg,Germany, under the auspices of the LWF Department for Theology and Studies (DTS). The 25 to 31 March meeting, held in collaboration with the Institute of Protestant Theology of the University of Augsburg, is the culmination of the DTS study program "Theology in the Life of the Church," which has been ongoing since 2004.